Pad for Supporting Head while Lying on Side

ABSTRACT

A side sleeping pad has a laterally running channel for receiving an ear and eyeglass temple of a person. A person can use the pad to watch distant objects, like a television, without the pain caused by pressure on the head from eyeglass temple that is caused when sleeping with a traditional pad. The channel can include laterally receding walls to provide a wider channel laterally. The widening channel allows a sleeper to rotate his or head up and down while slide sleeping and not risk contacting the eyeglass lens with the channel wall. The pad can include a rear-sleeping section. Sleepers can roll between a side sleeping position and rear sleeping position while wearing eyeglasses, earphones, earrings, hearing aids without having to adjust or move the pad.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/490,026, filed Apr. 25, 2017.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates to pads and, more specifically, to pads and contoured pillows for supporting one's head while lying on one's side.

Description of the Related Art

Nearsighted people have difficulty lying on their sides (i.e. sleeping on one's side) while watching television because they cannot simultaneously solve two problems: 1) nearsighted people need to wear their eyeglasses to see the television correctly; and 2) wearing eyeglasses while lying on their sides using a traditional pillow leads to uncomfortable pressure from the eye frames against the people's temples or even bent eye frames. So, if the person removes his or her eyeglasses, the person cannot see the television, which can promote the process of falling asleep. Lying on one's back is often not possible due to the arrangement of a couch parallel to the television. In such an arrangement, a person lying on his or her back only would see the ceiling clearly and not the television.

In some cases, lying on one's side while wearing eyeglasses can lead to pressure between the side of one's head against the eye frame, which can cause the bending and distortion of eye frames. The pressure even can damage and deform the eye frame. The pressure of one's head on the eye frame also results in discomfort.

Wearing earphones on one's ears also males side sleeping uncomfortable because the weight of the head on a traditional pillow presses the earphone against the outer ear.

The left sleeping position is known as the left lateral decubitus (LLD). The right sleeping position is known as the right lateral decubitus (RLD).

Pillows with cavities in lower corners are known for the purpose of accommodating a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask while a wearer side sleeps. Such pillows have cavities in the pillow that are aligned with a wearer's jaw, not ear line. In addition, CPAP pillows do not provide support for the lower head for sleepers who are not wearing CPAP masks.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a pad for supporting a head of a person wearing eyeglasses or earphones or other objects around one's ears and temples while lying on his or her side that overcomes the disadvantages of the devices of this general type and of the prior art.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a pad for supporting a head of a person wearing eyeglasses while lying on his or her side. The pad can be used on any surface, for example, a traditional pillow, sofa, armrest, folded blanket, sofa cushion, mattress or others. The pad includes a superior section, an inferior section, and a medial section. The superior section has a superior-section anterior surface for supporting a temple of the head when a person (i.e. a sleeper) is lying on his or her side. The inferior section has an inferior-section anterior surface for supporting a jaw of the head of the person. The medial section interconnects the superior section and the inferior section. The medial section has a medial-section anterior surface that is recessed (i.e. lower) relative to the superior-section anterior surface and the inferior-section anterior surface. The medial section can be recessed by an appropriate amount to comfortably receive eyeglasses and/or earphones and the like thereby minimizing or reducing pressure against the face.

To use the pad, the user places his or her ear above the medial section and between the superior section and the inferior section. The medial section is at least as tall as the height of the ear of the user. The medial section is lower than the superior section and the inferior section by a distance that is at least as deep as the width of the user's ear and preferably deep enough to receive eyeglasses or earphones, and the like. The depth of the anterior surface of the medial section relative to the depth of the anterior of the superior section and the inferior section can be increased to prevent the user's ear from contacting the anterior surface of the medial section even when the superior section and the inferior section are compressed by the weight of the user's head.

By placing the ear of the user above the medial section and between the superior section and the inferior section, the user's eyeglasses can be worn while lying on the pad without putting pressure on the eyeglass frame.

By using the pad, a person can be wearing eyeglasses or earphones while watching the television without fear of waking himself or herself or fear of bending the eyeglasses or earphones, in case the person falls asleep (i.e. takes a nap) while watching the television. The channel also allows for audio to reach the downward ear (i.e. the ear being placed on the pad) with less impedance than an ear placed against a traditional pillow; this allows better enjoyment of sound.

The pad according to the invention can include one or more receding walls. That is, the channel above the medial section widens laterally. Another way to describe this is that the channel is formed by an inferior superior-section wall and an opposing superior inferior-section wall. At least a lattermost portion of the inferior superior-section wall and/or a section of the superior inferior-section wall recede relative to each other. The wider opening allows a user to rotate his or her head up and down (i.e. nodding) without having his or her eyeglass lenses contacting either the superior section or the inferior section. In addition, the wider opening allows a slightly wider field of view that otherwise would be obstructed by the walls. The ability to allow rotation allows a user to adjust him or herself while sleeping without having to move the pad itself.

The inferior section, the superior section, and the medial section, each, can be made of foam. A preferred type of foam is polyurethane foam with additional chemicals increasing its viscosity and density. Foam with characteristics of foam with ˜13ILD and 1.2 pound polyurethane makes a satisfactory pillow.

The density of the foam is selected for comfort. The density of the foam can be chosen to adjust the firmness of the pad. A more dense foam provides a firmer pad. A less dense foam provides a softer pad.

A different density of foam can be used in each section of the pad.

The inferior section, the superior section, and the medial section can have a piece of foam that forms at least a part of the superior section, the medial section, and the inferior section. The sections stay connected by having at a layer of foam that is shared across the sections. The foam can be made from a single piece of foam with the channel routed to specification.

The invention includes a pad that can be used for supporting a right cheek of the user and a pad for supporting a left cheek of the user, which does not require the pad to be rotated to accommodate sleeping on the other side. The pad includes a medial section that runs across the pad from the right edge to the left edge.

To use such a pad, the user chooses on which side to rest. If the sleeper chooses the left side, the user places his or her left ear in the channel above the medial section and faces leftward. If the sleeper chooses the right side, the user places his or her right ear in the channel above the medial section and faces rightward. The pad can be made to be wide enough that a sleeper can roll from one side, onto the back of his or her head, and then onto the other side.

In pads with a channel transversing the width of the pad, both the left and right side of the channel can widen (i.e. flare). This allows the user to rotate his or head up and down, while lying on his or her right side or left side without contacting his or her eyeglasses on the superior or inferior section.

The pad can include a section for supporting the rear of a user's head. This section allows users of the pad to lie on his or her back, with the back of the user's head resting on the anterior of this section. This section allows the user to avoid resting the back of his or her head in the channel.

In the case of a pad with a channel formed on only one side (for this example, the channel is on the left), the head section is on the right side. The head section has an anterior surface that is even in thickness with the anterior face of the superior section and the anterior face of the inferior section. A sleeper can roll from left-side sleeping to back sleeping without needing to adjust the pad.

In the case of a pad with two side channels, one on the left and one on the right, the head section is disposed between the left channel and the right channel. The anterior surface of the head section is at the same height as both superior sections and both inferior sections. A user can roll from a right side sleeping position, to a back sleeping position with the back of his or her head on the head section, to the left side sleeping position.

The pad can include two layers. An anterior layer is made from a softer, low-density foam. A posterior layer is made from a harder, high-density foam. Using an increasingly harder, posterior layer allows for the pad to be soft yet more supportive if needed.

The pad can be made in different sizes. A small size could have dimensions approximately twenty centimeters wide, twenty centimeters tall, and five centimeters thick (˜20 cm×20 cm×5 cm). A large size replaces bed-sized pillows, which for a standard bed pillow are approximately fifty centimeters by sixty-six centimeters.

The invention includes a pad assembly. The pad assembly includes a pillow and a pad as described previously resting on the pillow. The pad can be small and thin to act as an additional layer that allows users to wear eyeglasses, earphones, earrings, hearing aids, and other objects while side-sleeping on a traditional pillow. The pad can be used with other headrests such as a couch armrest or a folded blanket.

In accordance with the objects of the invention, a method is provided for side sleeping while wearing an object on an ear. The method begins with a traditional headrest such as a pillow, armrest, or folded blanket. Next, a pad such as those described previously is placed on the pillow. The pad is thin enough and compressible enough to retain the comfort of the original headrest. Then the sleeper places his head on the pad, which is in turn resting on the headrest.

Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a pad, the invention should not be limited to the details shown in those embodiments because various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention while remaining within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention and additional objects and advantages of the invention is best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a top, right, inferior perspective view of a first embodiment of a pad according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top side view of the embodiment of the pad shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a right side sectional view of the first embodiment taken along line III-III in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the embodiment of the pad shown in FIG. 1, showing a sleeper positioned on the pad.

FIG. 5 is a right side section view of a dual foam bilateral embodiment of the pad shown in FIG. 2 taken along line III-III.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a unilateral embodiment of the pad according to the invention.

FIG. 7 is a top side view of the unilateral embodiment of the pad shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a right side view of the unilateral embodiment of the pad shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a top side view of a bilateral embodiment with central landing zone according to the invention.

FIG. 10 is a top side view of a bilateral embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 with a block in a lateral position.

FIG. 11 is a top side view of a bilateral embodiment as shown in FIG. 10 with a block in a medial position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-4 show a bilateral pad 1 for side sleeping. The pad 1 includes an inferior section 2, a superior section 3, and a medial section 4. The inferior section 2 has an anterior surface 21 for supporting a cheek 72 of a sleeper as shown in FIG. 4. The superior section 3 has an anterior surface 31 for supporting a lateral superior section 73 of the head. The medial section 4 is disposed between the inferior section 2 and the superior section 3 and has an anterior surface 41 that is recessed relative to the anterior surface 21 of the inferior section 2 and the anterior surface 31 of the superior section 3 to define a channel transversing the pad 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the channel receives an ear 71 of the head 70 and the temples 51 of eyeglasses 50 being worn on the head 70. The channel is formed by a superior wall 24 of the superior section 2, an inferior wall 34 of the inferior section 3, and the anterior surface 41 of the medial section 4.

The channel widens laterally; that is the channel is wider at the channel's left opening and right opening than at the channel's center. On the left side of the pad 1, a receding section 22 of the inferior wall 24 recedes laterally relative to a receding section 32 of the superior wall 34. On the right side of the pad 1, a receding section 23 of the inferior wall 24 recedes laterally relative to a receding section 33 of the superior wall 34.

A width of the channel at a narrowest point is greater than a height of the ear 71. That is, the superior wall 24 is spaced from the inferior wall 34 greater than a height of the ear 71. In a preferred embodiment, the superior wall 24 is spaced from the inferior wall 34 at least a distance equaling the average anatomical height of an ear plus two standard deviations. In an alternative embodiment, a layer of soft, low-density foam can be provided along the anterior surface that is forgiving enough that minor contact of the top of the ear or the bottom of the ear lobe will not prevent a user from sleeping.

The depth of the channel is greater than a width of the ear 71. That is, the superior wall 24 and the inferior wall 34 have a height greater than a width of the ear 71. In a preferred embodiment, the superior wall 24 and the inferior wall 34 have a height greater than the average anatomical width of an ear plus two standard deviations.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is made of a single piece of foam.

FIG. 4 shows a person (i.e. a sleeper) left side sleeping on the pad. The left cheek 72 of head 70 rests on the anterior surface 21 of the inferior section 2. The lateral superior section 73 of the head 70 rests on the anterior surface 31 of the superior section 3. The left ear 71 and left eyeglass temple 51 are placed above the anterior surface 41 of the medial section 4. The left ear 71 is between the superior wall 24 and the inferior wall 34. The eyeglass lens 52 is disposed between the receding wall 23 and the receding wall 33. The sleeper can tilt his or her head 70 up and down without the eyeglass lens 52 contacting either receding wall 23 and receding wall 33.

Although it is not shown in the figures, the sleeper can right side sleep on the pad 1. The right cheek 75 of head 70 rests on the anterior surface 21 of the inferior section 2. The right lateral superior section 76 of the head 70 rests on the anterior surface 31 of the superior section 3. The right ear 77 and right eyeglass temple 53 are placed above the anterior surface 41 of the medial section 4. The right ear 77 is between the superior wall 24 and the inferior wall 34. The eyeglass lens 52 is disposed between the receding wall 22 and the receding wall 32. The sleeper can rotate his or her head 70 up and down without the right eyeglass lens 54 contacting either receding wall 23 and receding wall 33.

FIGS. 5 shows a dual foam bilateral pad. The pad is generally shaped like the pad shown in FIGS. 1-4. The pad 1 is formed from two layers of different density foam. A higher density layer 82 is made from a higher density viscoelastic foam. A lower density layer 81 is disposed on the anterior of the higher density layer 82. The lower density layer 81 is made from a lower density viscoelastic foam than the foam used in the higher density layer 82.

FIGS. 6-8 show a unilateral embodiment of the pad 1. One side of the pad 1 is similar to the pad shown in FIGS. 1-3 with an inferior section 2, superior section 3, and a medial section 4. The pad includes a back-sleeping section 6, which is shaped like a traditional pillow and can be used for back sleeping while wearing eyeglasses.

In the unilateral embodiment, the back-sleeping section 6 is connected to the inferior section 2, the superior section 3, and the medial section 4. The back sleeping section 6 has an anterior surface 61 that is level with the anterior surface 21 of the inferior section and the anterior surface 31 of the superior section 3. A medial section wall 63 connects the medial edge of the anterior surface 41 of the medial section 4 to the anterior surface 61.

A sleeper uses the unilateral embodiment by side sleeping with his or her bottom ear in the channel above the medial section 4. The sleeper can rotate to a back sleeping position with the back of his or her head resting on the anterior surface 61 without needing to move or adjust the pad 1.

If the sleeper chooses to sleep on his or her other side, the pad 1 is rotated one-hundred-and-eighty degrees (180°).

FIGS. 9 shows a bilateral pad with back-sleeping section 6. In this embodiment, a back sleeping section 6 is located medially in the pad. On the left side of the back sleeping section 6 is an inferior section 2A, superior section 3A, and medial section 4A. In addition, on the right side of the back sleeping section 6 is an additional inferior section 2B, superior section 3B, and medial section 4B.

A sleeper can use the bilateral pad with back-sleeping section, to move between a left side-sleeping position, a back-sleeping position, and a right side-sleeping position without moving the pad. To sleep in the left side-sleeping position, the sleeper places his or her ear above the medial section 4A and between the inferior section 2A and the superior section 3A. To sleep in the right side-sleeping position, the sleeper places his or her ear above the medial section 4B and between the inferior section 2B and the superior section 3B. To sleep in the back sleeping position, the sleeper sleeps with the back of his or her head resting on the anterior surface 61 of the back-sleeping section 6.

In an embodiment that is shown in FIGS. 10-11, a block 6 can be inserted into the channel of a bilateral pad like the pad shown in FIGS. 1-5. The block 6 acts as a back sleeping section. As shown in FIG. 10, the block 6 can convert the bilateral embodiment into a unilateral embodiment similar to FIGS. 6-8. As shown in FIG. 11, the block 6 can covert the bilateral embodiment into a back-sleeping embodiment similar to FIG. 9. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A pad for supporting a head of a person wearing an object, around, or in an ear of the person while side sleeping, comprising: a superior section having a superior-section anterior surface for supporting a temple of the head, said superior section having an inferior super-section wall; and an inferior section having an inferior-section anterior surface for supporting a jaw of the head, said inferior section having a superior inferior-section wall; a medial section interconnecting said superior section and said inferior section; and having a medial-section anterior surface, said medial-section anterior surface being recessed relative to said superior-section anterior surface and said inferior-section anterior surface; said inferior super-section wall being spaced from said superior inferior-section wall at least as far as a height of an ear of the head; and said receding wall section of said inferior super-section wall receding laterally relative to said receding wall section of said superior inferior-section wall.
 2. The pad according to claim 1, wherein: said inferior super section wall having a receding wall section; and said superior inferior-section wall having a receding wall section.
 3. The pad according to claim 1, wherein said inferior section, said superior section, and said medial section are each made of foam.
 4. The pad according to claim 3, wherein said inferior section, said superior section, and said medial section are formed from only one piece of foam.
 5. The pad according to claim 3, wherein one piece of foam forms at least a part of said inferior section, said superior section, and said medial section.
 6. The pad according to claim 2, wherein: said inferior super-section wall has a further receding wall section; said superior infer-section wall has a further receding wall section; and said further receding wall section of said inferior superior-section wall recedes laterally relative to said further receding wall section of said superior inferior-section wall.
 7. The pad according to claim 1, wherein said medial section anterior surface is at least lower than a width of the ear than said super-section anterior surface and said inferior-section anterior surface.
 8. The pad according to claim 1, further comprising a back-of-head section being connected to said superior section, said medial section, and said inferior section, said back-of-head section having a back-of-head anterior surface for supporting a rear of the head, said back-of-head-section surface being even with said superior-section anterior surface and said inferior-section anterior surface.
 9. The pad according to claim 1, wherein said inferior section, said medial section, and said superior section include an anterior layer made of a lower density foam and a posterior layer made of a higher density foam.
 10. The pad according to claim 1, further comprising a block, said block being as wide as a distance between said superior wall of said inferior section and said inferior wall of said superior section, and said block being as tall as said superior wall.
 11. The pad according to claim 10, wherein said block is made from flexible resilient foam.
 12. A pad for supporting a head of a person wearing an object on an ear of the person while lying on a side, comprising: a left side section including: a left superior section having a left superior-section anterior surface for supporting a temple of the head, said left superior section having a left inferior super-section wall; and a left inferior section having a left inferior-section anterior surface for supporting a jaw of the head, said left inferior section having a left superior inferior-section wall; a left medial section interconnecting said left superior section and said left inferior section; and having a left medial-section anterior surface, said left medial-section anterior surface being recessed relative to said left superior-section anterior surface and said left inferior-section anterior surface; said inferior super-section wall being spaced from said superior inferior-section wall at least as far as a height of an ear of the head; said left inferior super section wall having a left receding wall section; said left superior inferior-section wall having a left receding wall section; and said left receding wall section of said inferior super-section wall receding laterally relative to said left receding wall section of left said superior inferior-section wall; a right side section including: a right superior section having a right superior-section anterior surface for supporting a temple of the head, said right superior section having a right inferior super-section wall; and a right inferior section having a right inferior-section anterior surface for supporting a jaw of the head, said right inferior section having a right superior inferior-section wall; a right medial section interconnecting said right superior section and said right inferior section; and having a right medial-section anterior surface, said right medial-section anterior surface being recessed relative to said right superior-section anterior surface and said right inferior-section anterior surface; said inferior super-section wall being space from said superior inferior-section wall at least as far as a height of an ear of the head; said right inferior super section wall having a right receding wall section; said right superior inferior-section wall having a right receding wall section; and said right receding wall section of said inferior super-section wall receding laterally relative to said right receding wall section of right said superior inferior-section wall; and a back section interconnecting said left side-sleeping section and said right side section, said back sleeping section having an back-section anterior surface for supporting a rear of the head, said back-section surface being even with said left superior-section anterior surface, said left inferior-section anterior surface, said right superior-section anterior surface, and said right inferior-section anterior surface.
 13. A pad assembly for supporting a head of a person wearing an object on an ear of the person while lying on a side, comprising: a headrest; and a pad resting on said headrest, said pad including: a superior section having a superior-section anterior surface for supporting a temple of the head, said superior section having an inferior super-section wall; and an inferior section having an inferior-section anterior surface for supporting a jaw of the head, said inferior section having a superior inferior-section wall; a medial section interconnecting said superior section and said inferior section; and having a medial-section anterior surface, said medial-section anterior surface being recessed relative to said superior-section anterior surface and said inferior-section anterior surface; said inferior super-section wall being spaced from said superior inferior-section wall at least as far as a height of an ear of the head; said inferior super section wall having a receding wall section; said superior inferior-section wall having a receding wall section; and said receding wall section of said inferior super-section wall receding laterally relative to said receding wall section of said superior inferior-section wall.
 14. The pad assembly according to claim 13, wherein said headrest is selected from the group consisting of a pillow, an armrest, a folded blanket, a sofa cushion, and a mattress.
 15. A method for sleeping while wearing an object on an ear while side sleeping, which comprises: providing a headrest; resting a pad on said headrest, said pad including: a superior section having a superior-section anterior surface for supporting a temple of a head, said superior section having an inferior super-section wall; and an inferior section having an inferior-section anterior surface for supporting a jaw of the head, said inferior section having a superior inferior-section wall; a medial section interconnecting said superior section and said inferior section; and having a medial-section anterior surface, said medial-section anterior surface being recessed relative to said superior-section anterior surface and said inferior-section anterior surface; said inferior super-section wall being spaced from said superior inferior-section wall at least as far as a height of an ear of the head; said inferior super section wall having a receding wall section; said superior inferior-section wall having a receding wall section; and said receding wall section of said inferior super-section wall receding laterally relative to said receding wall section of said superior inferior-section wall; and resting the temple on said superior-section anterior surface, while resting the jaw on said inferior section; and placing the ear between said superior section and said inferior section and above said medial section.
 16. The pad assembly according to claim 15, wherein said headrest is selected from the group consisting of a pillow, an armrest, a folded blanket, a sofa cushion, and a mattress. 